There are many different types of known plastic containers for holding liquids sold to consumers such as water bottles and milk jugs. Such containers commonly have reclosable lids or caps that either press or thread onto the particular container. Such containers are generally initially filled with liquid in a production line which then seals the container by adding the particular cap for the container. Known capping equipment used in such processes for threading and tightening caps is generally complicated due to the movement and forces required to accurately and sufficiently place and torque a threaded cap on to the opening of a container. Additionally, due to the time required to perform such action and the rate at which production lines commonly operate, several individual capping units are typically combined in one large capping unit that can accommodate several containers at a given time. An example of such a unit is a “screw tightener” unit, manufactured by IPEC of New Castle, Pa. Such a screw tightener unit utilizes a plurality of individual tightening mechanisms arranged in a single, large turntable unit.
Due to the complexity of the equipment, such known capping equipment for installing threaded caps is generally quite expensive. Additionally, such known capping equipment generally occupies a large amount of space along a typically crowded production line. Such large size and cost tends to make use of such capping equipment by smaller production facilities either difficult or impossible.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for improved capping equipment for installing and tightening threaded caps.